tz.cobra strike-第2部分

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rwin　raised…focused　on　older　issues　which　had　already　had　the　initial　polemics　thoroughly　wrung　out　of　them。　A　handful　were　officially　given　resolution；　the　rest　returned　to　the　members　for　more　analysis；　consideration；　or　simple　foot…dragging；　and　as　the　agenda　wound　down　it　began　to　look　as　if　the　meeting　might　actually　let　out　early　And　then　Governor…General　Brom　Stiggur　dropped　a　pocket　planet…wrecker　into　the　room。
　It　began　with　an　old　issue。　〃You'll　remember　the　report　of　two　years　ago；〃　he　said；　looking　around　the　room；　〃in　which　the　Farsearch　team　concluded　that；　aside　from　our　three　present　worlds；　no　planets　exist　within　at　least　a　20…light…year　radius　of　Aventine　that　we　could　expand　to　in　the　future。　It　was　agreed　at　the　time　that　our　current　state　of　population　and　development　hardly　required　an　immediate　resolution　of　this　long…term　problem。〃
　Corwin　sat　a　bit　straighter　in　his　seat；　sensing　similar　reactions　around　him。　Stiggur's　words　were　neutral　enough；　but　something　explosive　seemed　to　be　hiding　beneath　the　carefully　controlled　inflections　of　his　voice。
　〃However；〃　the　other　continued；　〃in　the　past　few　days　something　new　has　e　to　light；　something　which　I　felt　should　be　presented　immediately　to　this　body；　before　even　any　follow…up　studies　were　initiated。〃　Glancing　at　the　Cobra　guard　standing　by　the　door；　Stiggur　nodded。　The　man　nodded　in　turn　and　opened　the　panel　。。。　and　a　single　Troft　walked　in。
　A　faint　murmur　of　surprise　rippled　its　way　around　the　room；　and　Corwin　felt　himself　tense　involuntarily　as　the　alien　made　its　way　to　Stiggur's　side。　The　Trofts　had　been　the　Worlds〃　trading　partner　for　nearly　14　years　now；　but　Corwin　still　remembered　vividly　the　undercurrent　of　fear　that　he'd　grown　up　with。　Most　of　the　Council　had　even　stronger　memories　than　that：　the　Troft　occupation　of　the　Dominion　worlds　Silvern　and　Adirondack　had　occurred　only　43　years　ago；　ulti…mately　being　the　impetus　for　the　original　Cobra　project。　It　was　no　accident　that　most　of　the　people　who　now　dealt　physically　with　the　Troft　traders　were　in　their　early　twenties。　Only　the　younger　Aventinians　could　face　the　aliens　without　wincing。
　The　Troft　paused　at　the　edge　of　the　table；　waiting　as　the　Council　members　dug　out　translator…link　earphones　and　inserted　them。　One　or　two　of　the　younger　syndics　didn't　bother；　and　Corwin　felt　a　flicker　of　jealousy　as　he　adjusted　his　own　earphone　to　low　volume。　He'd　taken　the　same　number　of　courses　in　catertalk　as　they　had；　but　it　was　obvious　that　foreign　language　prehension　wasn't　even　close　to　being　his　forte。
　〃Men　and　women　of　the　Cobra　Worlds　Council；〃　the　earphone　murmured　to　him。　〃I　am　Speaker　One　of　the　Tlos'khin'fahi　demesne　of　the　TroFte　Assemblage。〃　The　alien's　high…pitched　catertalk　continued　for　a　second　beyond　the　translation；　both　races　had　early　on　decided　that　the　first　three　parasyllables　of　Troft　demesne　titles　were　more　than　adequate　for　human　use；　and　that　a　literal　transcription　of　the　aliens〃　proper　names　was　a　waste　of　effort。　〃The　Tlos'khin'fahi　demesne…lord　has　sent　your　own　demesne…lord's　request　for　data　to　the　other　parts　of　the　Assemblage　and　the　result　has　been　a　triad　offer　from　the　Pualanek'zia　and　Baliu'ckha'spmi　demesnes。〃
　Corwin　grimaced。　He'd　never　liked　deals　involving　two　or　more　Troft　demesnes；　both　because　of　the　delicate　political　balance　the　Worlds　often　had　to　strike　and　because　the　humans　never　heard　much　about　the　Troft…Troft　arm　of　such　bargains。　That　arm　had　to　exist…the　individual　demesnes　seldom　if　ever　gave　anything　away　to　each　other。
　The　same　line　of　thought　appeared　to　have　tracked　its　way　elsewhere　through　the　room。　〃You　speak　of　a　triad；　instead　of　a　quad　offer；〃　Governor　Dylan　Fairleigh　spoke　up。　〃What　part　does　the　Tlos'khin'fahi　demesne　expect　to　play？〃
　〃My　demense…lord　chooses　the　role　of　catalyst；〃　was　the　prompt　reply。　〃No　fee　will　be　forthing　for　our　role。〃　The　Troft　fingered　something　on　his　abdomen　sash　and　Corwin's　display　lit　up　with　a　map　showing　the　near　half　of　the　Troft　Assemblage。　Off　on　one　edge　three　stars　began　blinking　red。　〃The　Cobra　Worlds；〃　the　alien　unnecessarily　identified　them。　A　quarter　of　the　way　around　the　bulge　a　single　star；　also　outside　Troft　territory；　flashed　green。　〃The　world　named　Qasama　by　its　natives。　They　are　described　by　the　Baliu'ckha'spmi　demesne…lord　as　an　alien　race　of　great　potential　danger　to　the　Assemblage。　Here…〃　a　vague…edged　sphere　appeared　at　the　near　side　of　the　flashing　green　star…　〃somewhere；　is　a　tight　cluster　of　five　worlds　capable　of　supporting　human　life。　The　Pua'lanek'zia　demesne…lord　will　give　you　their　location　and　an　Assemblage　pledge　of　human　possession　if　your　Cobras　will　undertake　to　eliminate　the　threat　of　Qasama。　I　will　await　your　decision。〃
　The　Troft　turned　and　left　。。。　and　only　slowly　did　Corwin　realize　he　was　holding　his　breath。　Five　brand…new　worlds　。。。　for　the　price　of　being　mercenaries。
　He　wondered　if　the　Troft　had　any　idea　of　the　size　snakepit　he'd　just　opened。
　If　the　alien　didn't；　the　Council　certainly　did。　For　the　better　part　of　a　minute　the　room　was　silent　as　an　isolation　tank　as　each　member　apparently　tried　to　track　through　the　tangle　of　implications。　Finally；　Stiggur　cleared　his　throat。　〃While　we　of　course　have　no　intention　of　replying　to　this　offer　today；　or　even　to　fully　discuss　its　relative　merits；　I　would　nevertheless　appreciate　hearing　whatever　initial　reactions　you　might　have。〃
　〃I；　for　one；　would　like　a　little　more　information　before　we　listen　to　any　hard…wired…reflex　ments；〃　Governor　Lizabet　Telek　said。　Her　perennially　gravelly　voice　gave　no　clue　to　her　own　reaction。　〃Something　about　these　new　aliens　would　be　nice　for　starters…bio　specs；　tech　level；　specifics　of　their　alleged　threat；　that　sort　of　thing。〃
　Stiggur　shook　his　head。　〃Speaker　One　either　doesn't　have　any　more　data　or　won't　give　it　away　free…I've　already　pressed　him　on　that。　I　suspect　the　former；　personally；　there's　no　particular　need　for　the　Tlos　demesne　to　buy　what　would　be　little　more　than　abstract　knowledge　to　them。　Same　goes　for　information　on　these　five　alleged　worlds　the　Pua　demesne's　offering；　before　anyone　asks。〃
　〃In　other　words；　we're　being　asked　to　sign　an　essentially　blank　agreement？〃　one　of　the　newer　syndics　asked。
　〃Not　really。〃　Governor　Jor　Hemner　shook　his　head；　the　movement　looking　risky　on　one　so　frail。　〃There　are　lots　of　intermediate　possibilities；　including　buying　the　Baliu's　data　or　sending　our　own　survey　team　out　to　take　a　look。　Standard　Troft　trade　procedure　assumes　we'll　e　up　with　these　suggestions　ourselves。　What　I'm　worried　about　is　whether　setting　a　precedent　of　this　kind　is　a　good　idea。〃
　〃Why　not？〃　someone　else　spoke　up　from　Corwin's　side　of　the　room。　〃It's　the　fear　of　the　Cobras　that　keeps　the　Trofts　friendly；　isn't　it？　How　better　to　show　them　that　kind　of　caution　is　good　policy？〃
　〃And　if　we　lose？〃　Hemner　asked　stiffly。
　〃The　Cobras　haven't　lost　anything　yet。〃
　Corwin　glanced　at　Governor　Howie　Vartanson　of　Caelian；　wondering　if　he'd　ment。　But　the　other　merely　curled　his　lip　slightly　and　kept　silent。　Politicans　from　Caelian　tended　to　adopt　that　low…profile　position　when　they　came　to　Aventine；　Corwin　had　noticed；　but　the　point；　he　felt；　ought　to　be　made。　Subtly；　if　possible。。。。　〃I'd　like　to　point　out；〃　he　spoke　up；　〃that　one　or　more　new　planets　would　enable　us　to　solve　the　problem　of　Caelian　without　depriving　the　19；000　people　there　of　the　right　to　their　〃own〃　world。〃
　〃Only　if　they'd　be　willing　to　leave；〃　Stiggur　said；
　but　the　mention　of　Caelian；　as　Cowrin　had　planned；　seemed　to　bring　the　members〃　thoughts　to　the　current　stalemate　between　the　Cobras　and　that　strange　world's　hostile　ecology。　〃Fluid　genetic　adaptation；〃　the　official　reports　elegantly　called；　it。　The　Caelians〃　own　term　was　considerably　cruder：　Hell's　Blender。　Every　species　on　the　planet；　from　the　simplest　lichen　to　the　largest　predator；　seemed　mindlessly　determined　to　hold　onto　his　ecological　and　territorial　niche　against　all　efforts　to　dislodge　it。　Clear　some　land　and　soak　it　with　vegebarrier；　and　within　days　there　would　be　a　dozen　new　plant　variants　attempting　to　reclaim　it。　Build　a　house　where　a　thicket　had　been；　and　before　long　the　local　fungi　would　be　growing　on　the　walls。　Create　a　city；　or　even　a　small　town；　and　the　displaced　animals　would　find　their　way　in　somehow　。。。　and　not　only　the　small　ones。　A　world　under　perpetual　siege；　Corwin　had　once　heard　Jonny　call　it。　Only　the　Caelians　themselves　knew　how…or　why…they　put　up　with　it。
　For　another　long　moment　the　room　was　again　silent。　Stiggur　looked　around；　nodded　at　what　he　saw。　〃Well。　I　think　we　can　safely　agree　with　Governor　Telek　that　considerably　more　information　is　needed　before　we　can　even　consider　acting。　For　the　moment；　then；　you're　to　keep　this　proposal　a　secret　from　the　general　populace　while　you　work　out　the　various　pros　and　cons　for　yourselves。　Now；　then…one　final　item　and　we'll　be　adjourned。　I　have　a　list　of　Cobra　applicants　awaiting　final　Council　approval。〃　The　twelve　names…an　unusually　high　number…appeared　on　Corwin's　screen；　along　with　their　home　towns　and　districts。　All　the　names　were　familiar　ones；　the　Cobra　Academy　screeners　had　sent　in　their　test　results　nearly　a　month　ago。　Justin　Moreau　was　the　seventh　one　listed。
　〃Do　I　hear　any　votes　against　these　citizens　being　Cobras；　either　individually　or　as　a　group？〃　Stiggur　asked　the　standard　question。　A　couple　of　nearby　heads　turned　in　Corwin's　direction；　clamping　his　jaw　tightly；　he　kept　his　eyes　on　the　governor…general　and　his　hands　in　his　lap。　〃No？　Then　this　Council　affirms　the　decision　of　the　Cobra　Academy　officials；　and　hereby　directs　them　to　begin　the　irreversible　stages　of　the　Cobra　process。〃　Stiggur　pushed　a　button　and　the　room's　screens　blanked。　〃This　Council　session　is　adjourned。〃
　Irreversible　stages。　Corwin　had　heard　those　words　at　least　twenty　times　before　at　these　meetings；　but　somehow　they'd　never　sounded　so　final。　But　then；　he'd　never　heard　them　applied　to　his　own　younger　brother　before；　either。
　Justin　Moreau　let　the　car　roll　to　a　stop　in　front　of　the　house；　feeling　the　tension　in　his　shoulders　translate　along　his　arms　to　a　brief　white…knuckled　squeeze　on　the　wheel。　The　word　had　e　by　phone　only　an　hour　ago　that　the　Council　had　given　final　approval　to　his　application。　Tomorrow　the　surgery　would　begin　that　would　finally　and　firmly　set　him　down　in　his　father's　footsteps　。。。　but　tonight　he　would　have　to　face　his　mother's　pain。
　〃You　ready？〃　Joshua　asked　from　the　seat　next　to　him。
　〃As　ready　as　I'll　ever　be。〃　Opening　the　door；　Justin　got　out　and　headed　toward　the　house；　his　brother　falling　into　step　beside　him。
　Corwin　answered　Joshua's　knock；　and　despite　his　tension　Justin　found　himself　enjoying　the　inevitable　half…second　it　took　their　older　brother　to　figure　out　which　was　which。　Even　among　identical　twins　Joshua　and　Justin　were　unusually　hard　to　tell　apart；　a　fact　that　had　caused　untold　confusion　throughout　their　lives。　Family　and　close　friends　were　generally　able　to　manage　the　trick；　but　even　with　them　a　secret　swap　of　tunics　could　sometimes　go　undetected　for　hours。　They'd　pulled　such　stunts　innumerable　times　when　they　were　younger；　a　game　they'd　given　up　only　after　their　father　threatened　to　color…code　them　with　liberal　applications　of　paint。